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Monday, October 29, 2007

Rugby vs Football.......

The other week, when we were all down in Dudley for our dentist appointment Louise and i stayed in the Plough and Harrow for a treat whilst Molly was having fun at Grandma & Grandpa's place. The Plough And Harrow is a delightful old hotel a little out of Birmingham City Centre. The plan was to drop our gear off and head off for a nice meal and drink in Birmingham, but of course, by the time we'd dropped Molly off at Grandma and Grandpa's and made it out to Birmingham we were left with the option of heading out into Birmingham and having a nice night of it or staying in the hotel and watching the Rugby World Cup final in the comfort of our very nice, very large room.With both of us feeling absolutely knackered there was no contest.

So we stayed in the hotel and watched another England team lose in a major tournament. Of course the difference between the Rugby team and the Football team was that at least the Rugby team managed to raise their game for the big occasion, at least the Rugby team looked like they really wanted the thing and weren't paralysed with fear in the face of the opposition. And that's to say nothing of the ongoing question of discipline, both players and fans. The classic example of this on Saturday was the England player's reactions to the disputed try. When the fourth official finished watching the replays and the try wasn't given just one player had a quick word with the referee and he was told to go away. And he did.Contrast that with any football match you've ever seen. Referee makes one decision and all the players immediately surround him and start badgering him almost to the point of physical abuse.Is this the reason the England football team fails every time when the Rugby team seems to be able to lift themselves and their game to greater heights.It's certainly the case that this Rugby team will come home soon to plaudits despite losing in the final. Whereas the football team always seems to come home in ignominy.